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Drift: Bike, 2019, from the series Materialisms, rubber, polyurethane foam, steel, aluminum, lacquer, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene , polyoxymethylene, stainless steel, gel, polycarbonate, brass, magnet, fiberglass, 26.57 by 11.61 by 7.87 inches.Courtesy the Shed. Photo Dario Lasagni

For the most part, Fragile Future, Drifts exhibition at the Shed, follows the conventions of the contemporary art exhibition. But the overall experience of it is unusual, thanks to moments when the conventions are rejected in strange, subtle ways. Take the wall labels. Some of them name the materials used to make the work, as youd expect. This naming is the conceit of the sculpture series Materialisms (201821). The label for Starbucks Cup (2021) lists paper, coffee, water, polystyrene, wood, and glue; the components of Bike (2019) include aluminum, steel, rubber, and foam. In the sculptures, those substances are shaped into rectangular prisms, sized in proportion to their use in the named item. You can identify each material by color and texture, and match it to the word on the label. Viewing Materialisms is a satisfying exercise that teaches you something about the stuff of everyday life. But theres nothing on the label but a title for Drifters (2017 21), the exhibitions showstopping finale, which withholds information and induces awe. An ensemble of massive blocks float overhead in the Sheds four-storyhigh McCourt Space, languidly dancing to Anohnis brooding, billowing score. Though some trompe loeil painting makes the blocks look like weathered concrete, you might assume they are made of a much lighter material. If you know about Anicka Yis In Love with the World, currently on view at Tate Modern, where microbe-sculptures fly around the Turbine Hall, their transparent plastic membranes revealing the drones powering them inside, you might guess that Drift has used a similar technology for their flying art. While Materialisms encourages analytical thinking, Drifters abjures it. Dont try to figure out how its made. Just surrender to the mystery.

Drift was founded in 2007 by Dutch artists Lonneke Gordijn and Ralpha Nauta, who lead a team of sixty-four engineers and designers in building the complex apparatuses of their art. When it comes to their most spectacular installations, Gordijn and Nauta are magicians who wont reveal their tricks. There are plenty of artists who trade in obscurity, challenging the audience to puzzle over references and tease stories out of the work. But Drifts obscurity is of a different order. The experience of the work is immediate and embodied. The backstory doesnt matter. Theyre concerned with the miraculous, with the audiences sense of wonder, moderated at times with a scientific curiosity.

Fragile Future is an artfully choreographed odyssey through reason and magic. The show begins with the eponymous installation, versions of which Drift has been making since the studios founding. LED bulbs with real dandelion seeds glued to them rest in concatenated boxes of copper alloy, which conduct the electricity that illuminates them. It looks fragile indeed, with seeds that look they might blow away delicately cradled in spindly formations. The installation suggests a synthesis of technology and nature aimed at preservation. Coded Coincidence (2021), in the following gallery, sets small lights whirling in swarms, attached to transparent wings that rustle as they brush against the black platform. Their inverted eddies reminded me of fire, though the label says the work is meant to evoke elm seeds borne on spring winds. Either way its a primal vision, an approximation of a natural phenomenon somehow both tempered and intensified by the knowledge of its technical underpinnings. This is followed by Ego (202021), a cube woven from slender nylon filaments that shimmer under a spotlight, heaving and falling like a mourners chest as the soundtrack emits sighs and groans.

After the dramatic lighting and motion in the black-box galleries preceding it, the stillness and brightness of Materialisms represents a return of reason. But this is brief: monitors and projections in the next gallery show new animations of the Drifter blocks flying through cityscapes and nature. Then, at last, come the Drifters themselves. After the videos, they appear as a fantasy made flesh.

Fragile Future is presented in collaboration with Superblue, a new enterprise supporting immersive art experiences that opened its first venue in Miami this past spring, and showed an installation by Drift there. Drifts work is often categorized among that of other studios who produce immersive experiences, and displaying it requires the resources and know-how that an organization like Superblue can provide. But Drifts work isnt immersive, or at least it doesnt bathe viewers in projections or surround them with stimuli from all sides, as most work presented under the banner of immersion does. An encounter with a work by Drift follows a twentieth-century script: the viewer encounters an object, moves around it, contemplates it. But Drifts objects often move, too: they float, swarm, and sigh. Images are so ubiquitous these days that an encounter with one is unlikely to trigger an experience of the sublime. Drift aspires to cultivate that sensitivity anew. Fragile Future is a rare exhibition that brings on wonder and awe.

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Objects of Wonder: Drift at the Shed - ARTnews

(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

By David M. GreenwaldExecutive Editor

PPIC this week released a key study of Police Use of Force and Misoncudct in California. Researchers Deepak Premkumar, Alexandria Gumbs, Shannon McConville, and Renee Hsia have taken advantage of state laws that have improved transparency in policing to examine the available data to provide a baseline understanding of police use of force and misconduct in California.

While most use-of-force incidents are not considered misconduct, civilian fatalities and injuriesparticularly of unarmed individualscan nevertheless harm the publics trust in law enforcement, they write.

Overall their study found that about 195 people die each year from interactions with California law enforcement (keep in mind that the national total is around 1000, so California alone constitutes nearly one fifth of all police fatalities).

Gunshots are by far the most common cause of death: nearly 250 people are shot by police each year, they found.

Locally we have focused on police stops, and indeed, Vehicle and pedestrian stops account for about 15 percent of police encounters in which a civilian is seriously injured or killed.

The other big component is encounters with people suffering from a mental health disorder.

More than four in ten people treated for non-fatal gunshot wounds from a police encounter were diagnosed with a mental health condition, an alcohol- or substance-related disorder, or both, they found.

This is a huge point because one of the common misconceptions that people point to they will argue, if people would just listen to the police many of these shootings could be avoided, but that ignores part of the reason why people may not be responding to the police they cant and police do not appear to be well trained to understand the difference between willful disobedience and mental health and trauma-based responses.

Meth turns out to be the most common drug used. Schizophrenia is the most common mental health condition recorded.

The data on armed versus unarmed civilians is interesting.

On the one hand, In about 80 percent of encounters resulting in death or a gunshot wound, the civilian was armed with a weapon, underscoring the risky environments officers face. On the other hand, when we also consider civilians who sustained other serious injuries, 56 percent were unarmed.

The findings on racial disparities also interesting.

The overall racial disparities are stark, the study found. Black Californians are three times more likely to be seriously injured, shot, or killed by police (comprising 18% of these incidents) relative to their share of the population (6%). Latinos are also overrepresented among police encounters that result in serious injuries or fatalities.

But the study did a good job of drilling down into these disparities.

They adjusted for contextual factors such as the reason for the stop and whether the person was armed.

What they found, adjusting for contextual factors narrows but does not eliminate this gap.

The study noted, Black residents are much more likely to be stopped by the police (16% of stops) compared to their share of the population; this overrepresentation in police contact puts them at a greater likelihood of being subject to police use of force.

Further, The share of Black people among all serious injuries and fatalities (18% to 19%) is still larger than their share among all police stops, though this disparity is considerably smaller.

By using data from RIPA (Racial and Identity Profiling Act) to examine contextual factors, using regression analysis they are able to control for some of these factors that may influence the decision to use deadly force.

This allows them to make a more apples to apples comparison between stops.

The researchers point out, All estimates are conditional on being stopped in the first place, which by itself has stark racial disparities that match what we find in use of force incidents.

There is another problem RIPA is based on the officers perception of a civilians identity and relies strongly on the validity of the officers post-interaction reporting and studies have found that, in certain contexts, law enforcement officers have misreported civilian race to evade detection of racial bias.

Prior to controlling for the contextual factors, they find a white person stopped by law enforcement faces a 0.23 percent likelihood that an officer will aim or discharge a firearm while a black faces a .75 percent chance.

Black people who are stopped by police are over 3.2 times as likely to have an officer aim or discharge a firearm at them than whites, they said.

Adding in context however, definitely narrows the gap from about 220 percent to about 100 percent (or from 3 times to 2 times the rate).

The good news here is that California has moved from a state that was hard to get good policing data to a state that is on the cutting edge of it.

The researchers write: Following several years of reform, California has become a bellwether for data transparency in policing with the creation of the OpenJustice portal and new reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies.

Overall, The Use of Force data show that 56 percent of civilians who are seriously injured or killed in police encounters are unarmed. Since 15 percent of these incidents occur during vehicle and pedestrian stops, typically lower-risk interactions, it is worth exploring how to reduce these encounters without affecting public safety.

Moreover, Reducing these encounters may also help narrow racial disparities: recent research highlights how racial disparities are largely driven by these stops, particularly traffic violations.

Certainly that is what we have seen in Davis which does not have a huge number of use of force incidents, but has a huge racial disparity in traffic stops. The city council recently addressed some critical issues like mental health crisis response, but now needs to address traffic stops overall.

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My View: New Data Sheds Additional Light on Police Killing and Use Force, Especially Racial Disparities in Them - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

The Worlds Fattest Man: 10 Years On will air tonight on ITV at 9pm. It will demonstrate to viewers Paul Masons rollercoaster journey with his weight.

I thought, right, this is the time for me to make sure that my journey is documented and I thought it would help other people.

Looking back at the past few years, Paul recalled the difficulties of being obese, including an experience in the hospital where doctors had never dealt with anyone my size.

He said: They brought me a form to sign that said if I died while I was in hospital at that size, they would have to dispose of my body in an abbatoir.

Part of my journey was that you felt like you are not a human and youre just a name on a piece of paper.

For Paul, to maintain his weight loss he needed and still needs help with his mental health.

Therapy is the main thing for me, he said.

I dont think the NHS put enough resources into the therapy side.

You can have six sessions on the NHS and thats not even going to touch the surface.

Paul received therapy from 2008 up until 2014, when he moved to the US.

He thought he would no longer need help after his surgery, but things unfortunately didnt work out.

Paul spends many days on his own after separating from his partner, Rebecca, and he continues to live with addiction and depression, as well as arthritis.

He said: Now, Ive got severe arthritis so its limiting my mobility and it makes things harder.

The support Rebecca gave me was very good, but she just got to the stage where she couldnt do that anymore.

And I could see that, its very hard I think living with someone with an addiction and depression.

The 60-year-old, who is now 38 stone, hopes his documentary will show the world that investing in your mental health is just as important as physical health as often, and certainly in his case, both go hand-in-hand.

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Worlds Fattest Man sheds 51st and piles 20st back on 'Arthritis is limiting my mobility' - Express

Chelsea Askey, 32, was spending 800 a month on takeaways, but opted for a gastric bypass and shed over eight stone in just under a year after she established a more healthy lifestyle

Image: chelseaastyles_bypassqueenie / MERCURY PRESS)

A woman has shed half her body weight in just a year after getting gastric bypass surgery and ditching her 800-a-month takeaway habit.

Chelsea Askey, 32, opted for fast food whilst working a manic schedule as a hairdresser, causing her to weigh 16st 8lbs at her heaviest.

She used to spend 30 per day on junk food such as McDonald's for her lunch, followed by another takeaway for her dinner.

Chelsea, from East Cowes, Isle of Wight, soon became fed up with her size 20 frame and decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery, where surgical staples are used to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach

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Chelsea said the 5000 surgery was "worth every penny" as she has now changed her diet and weighs a healthy 8st 7lbs.

She said: I have always been the fat friend but my diet really spiralled out of control when I started focussing on my career rather than my health.

As a self-employed hairdresser, there is no such thing as a lunch break so I would grab something quick daily for breakfast and lunch then order a takeaway as I was too tired to cook.

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I would just eat whatever I could such as a large Big Mac meal with extra chicken nuggets to fill me up for the day followed by sweet and sour chicken and chips from the Chinese.

On top of that, I was snacking throughout the day on crisps, chocolate and biscuits as clients always brought in naughty treats.

Eventually, it got to the point where I wasnt enjoying life anymore as my health began to decline.

"I was hospitalised with kidney stones and the doctor said I am at risk of diabetes."

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The health scare encouraged Chelsea to look into gastric bypass surgery abroad as it is cheaper.

She flew to Latvia in October 2020 and has never looked back.

Chelsea adds: I was unhappy in my own skin and always wearing black clothes to try and slim me down.

Being told I was on the diabetes spectrum was very concerning.

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I began slowing down my work and went to see a counsellor to try and understand why I was eating so much.

I was also put on a liquid diet ahead of the surgery which helped shrink my stomach and get used to life without takeaways.

By the time I flew to Latvia, I was determined to lead a healthier life on my return.

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Chelsea describes the surgery as the "best thing" she has ever done.

She is now a size eight and prepares her meals ahead of the week to ensure she doesnt revert back to her old ways.

She adds: I lost two stone in two weeks when I got back from the surgery.

It was hard to adjust to the rapid weight loss at first but now I couldnt be happier.

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My skin, hair and everything was shinier and glossier.

I am really lucky as [I've had] no saggy skin. I feel like I could stand in a room naked and not feel insecure about my body.

"The weight loss has helped ease the symptoms of polycystic ovaries syndrome too."

Breakfast - skip or sausage sandwich Snack - crisps or cakes Lunch - McDonald's - large big mac meal with extra chicken nuggets or foot-long sandwich from Subway Snacks - sweets Dinner - Chinese - Sweet and Sour Hong Kong style with chips or Indian onion Bhaji, korma, keema rice and nan bread

Breakfast - Cereal or protein bar and fruit Lunch - half a sandwich or chicken salad Dinner - salad or pasta Snacks - small protein bar or fruit

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Woman sheds half her body weight after ditching 800-a-month takeaway habit - The Mirror

By Leslie Pappas (November 3, 2021, 5:37 PM EDT) -- GTT Communications Inc. kicked off its bankruptcy at a virtual hearing in Manhattan on Wednesday, embarking on the second phase of a two-part prepackaged restructuring that aims to keep the global internet provider's business operating while it sheds more than $1 billion in debt.

The McLean, Virginia-based company recently wrapped up the first part of its reorganization: a $2.13 billion infrastructure sale to a subsidiary of I Squared Capital Advisors (US) LLC that allowed the company to prepay approximately $1.673 billion of its long-term debt obligations.

The second phase of the plan, a court-supervised reorganization under Chapter 11, would allow the...

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GTT Communications Kicks Off Ch. 11 To Shed $1B - Law360

Dog ownership soared by nearly eight per cent last year according to the Kennel Club, as lockdown meant people felt more able to open their home up to a new puppy.

There seems to be no letting up in the popularity of pups, as prices continue to rise as demand outstrips supply.

But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, theres plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pooch whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.

Some dogs tend to shed hair constantly, proving problematic for those with allergies and leaving carpets and clothes coated with discarded fur.

If you want to avoid this then there are certain breeds your should score off your list.

Here are the 10 breeds of dog that shed most hair, according to the American Kennel Club.

Many first-time Labrador Retriever owners are amazed by how much hair their new pet sheds. The UK's most popular dog breed may have a neat and short coat that requires very little grooming, but they constantly shed all year round, leaving labrador-shaped piles of hair in favourite sleeping spots.

Photo: Canva/Getty Images

The German Shepherd sheds a small amount all year around, but during changing seasons their hair can come out in large clumps, requiring regular brushing to avoid hair piling up in your home.

Photo: Canva/Getty Images

The silky, fluffy coat that makes the Bernese Mountain Dog such a popular and cuddly family pet can be a challenge for those with light carpets, clothing and furniture - they tend to leave a coating of black hair on everything they touch.

Photo: Canva/Getty Images

Owners of Great Pyrenees don't have to worry so much about their dog's hair on light carpets, but be prepared to constantly remove their snow-white fur from any dark clothing you dare to wear.

Photo: Canva/Getty Images

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Here are the 10 breeds of hairy dogs that shed most fur - hounds best avoided by allergy sufferers - The Scotsman

You can use this page to submit FOIA requests to most DHS FOIA Components. Please submit all online requests through the Online Portal by registering to create an online profile or by signing in to your existing profile.

The Online Portal allows requesters to submit FOIA requests, appeal requests, communicate with the agency on submitted requests and to download responses and records.

Requesters are not currently able to use this portal for FOIA requests and appeals directed to USCIS, Secret Service, CBP and FLETC. Please see information below on how to submit FOIA requests and appeals to them.Submit a request to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by creating a FIRST account. Submit a request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on FOIA Online. Submit a request to United States Secret Service (USSS) by accessing theirFOIAWebsite.Submit a request to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) byaccessing their FOIA Website.

Authorities: 5 U.S.C. 552, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and 44 U.S.C. 3101 authorize the collection of this information.

Purpose: DHS will use this information to locate applicable records and to respond to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a).

Routine Uses: This information may be used by and disclosed to DHS personnel, contractors, and/or other agents who need the information to assist in activities related to the processing of your Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act request. Additionally, DHS may use the information, as necessary and authorized by the routine uses published in the DHS/ALL-001 - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Record System February 4, 2014, 79 FR 6609.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary; however, failure to provide the information requested may delay or prevent DHS from processing your Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act Request..

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Department of Homeland Security PAL-Home

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At Native Sun Home Accents Inc we manufacture many products to help you protect your family and your property. To improve your lifestyle and to save you money through energy savings.

Being the manufacturer allows us to adapt to many different circumstances. Whether it is an odd size or a custom design we rarely find a application challenge for which we can't find a practical solution. So if you have a project that could use some special attention, let Native Sun with over thirty years of leadership and experience find a solution that's best for you and your budget.

Located in Surprise, Arizona, Native Sun proudly serves all of Arizona - Phoenix and the Phoenix Metro area.

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Native Sun Home Accents, Inc. - Arizona Security Doors ...

The Ring Alarm Pro is one of the most compelling DIY home security systems I've tested, period. It merges an Eero Wi-Fi 6 mesh router with a DIY security system. You'll pay $250 for the router itself, or $300 for the router plus some additional security sensors, which include door/window sensors, motion detectors, a keypad, a siren and optional professional monitoring subscriptions. Ring also adds a few game-changing perks to the mix, including backup Wi-Fi and local processing and storage.

The result is an affordable system with impressive smarts, lots of flexibility for all kinds of customers and a rock-solid base that will make pretty much anyone happy. Ring even goes out of its way to offer admirable data security and privacy options if, like me, you're worried about the company's spotty track record when it comes to working with police and degrading community privacy.

In short, the Ring Alarm Pro isn't just a game-changing device for Amazon; it's a ground-shaking product for the whole DIY home security market.

If you buy the Ring Alarm Pro system, you'll probably pay $300 to get a router/base device, four door/window sensors, a motion detector, a Z-Wave range extender and a keypad. You can opt for just the base station for $250 -- but then you won't get all the security sensors that make the system work. You can also buy a bigger package for $380 (it adds four more door/window sensors, an extra motion detector and another keypad), or you can buy the individual sensors a la carte, expanding the system beyond these basics to include a wide range of Ring cameras, video doorbells, backup power packs, Eero Wi-Fi range extenders and so on.

In general, the pricing for these devices is middling compared to the competition -- not quite as affordable as Wyze's super-cheap gadgets, but not as pricey as Abode's more expensive ones. Door/window sensors, for instance, cost $20 each and motion detectors cost $30. Ring's prices are close to those ofSimpliSafe, one of the best DIY home security systems on the market, which clocks in at $15 and $30, respectively.

As with other systems, the Ring Alarm Pro is going to have better pricing if you buy one of the packages, then add whatever standalone devices you want on top, rather than buying everything a la carte.

To give an example of one possible setup: I got the $300 Ring Alarm Pro package, along with a $100 Ring Stick Up Cam, a $130 Alarm Pro backup power pack, an $89 Eero 6 Wi-Fi range extender (on sale for $62 when I got it) and a $15 microSD card for local storage. That brought me to a total bill of a little over $600.

A similarly scaled build from SimpliSafe might cost $400, but it's important to understand the broader value Ring offers compared to its competitors. Remember, Ring's $250 base station is also a router, meaning you're going to get a lot of extra functionality that you won't with SimpliSafe's $115 base station. Likewise, you probably wouldn't spend $130 on a backup power pack for other home security systems -- and you wouldn't for the Ring Alarm Pro either, if it didn't enable backup Wi-Fi. Ditto for that Wi-Fi range extender and the microSD card, which don't make sense for other systems, because those systems don't offer the same features.

Ring suggests keeping the keypad wired, though its battery will last for months, depending on usage.

Before I talk about Ring's unique features, the first big question to answer is, "Is it a decent home security system?" The answer is a solid yes.

In my testing, Ring's devices all did exactly what they were supposed to do. They were responsive and reliable, even in slightly odd conditions. For instance, my basement's back door is far from the base station, but I experienced no connection issues with the Z-Wave-powered door/window sensor. In addition, some of my house's doors have unique moulding around the door jambs, which has given some door/window sensors problems in the past -- registering doors as open when they're not.

Ring's entry sensors give a little more latitude than others, so the two pieces can be about an inch apart before registering a door "open." I appreciated that calibration, because it meant no false alarms, but it also wouldn't allow any doors to be even cracked open without sending an alert.

The motion detector, power pack and keypad were similarly reliable, and theRing Stick Up Cam, which we've reviewed separately, performed as expected.

Installation was mostly a breeze, though I did have to check some online guides for activating some of the more advanced features, and performance was consistently great.

Besides the basics, the Ring Alarm Pro introduces a few great new features that many DIY home security systems don't offer: built-in Wi-Fi 6, backup Wi-Fi in case of power outages, Alexa Guard Plus integration and the option for local storage and processing, a feature Ring calls Edge.

A little bit of context: Eero was an early pioneer of mesh networking, and the first company to deliver mesh routers to the masses, popularizing the approach. Amazon scooped up the company in 2019 and quickly put out newer, more affordable Eero systems -- followed by the Eero 6 and Eero Pro 6, which added support for Wi-Fi 6 in 2020.

According to Ring, "The built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router functions like a standalone Eero 6 router The only difference is that Ring Alarm Pro does not support Zigbee or Thread at this time."

I wasn't able to run the Ring Alarm Pro through our usual battery of Wi-Fi tests, but I did perform some basic speed tests and monitor for consistency around my house. As you'd expect, the Eero router performed significantly better than the basic gateway installed by my provider, helping deliver high speeds as far as the back office in my basement (which without a mesh system chugs along like dial-up internet from the early aughts).

Using an Eero range extender will give you solid mesh Wi-Fi throughout even large houses.

In our review of the Eero 6 router, we were left disappointed by faulty band-steering throughout our spate of speed tests. Too often, the router would leave us on the slower 2.4GHz band when it should have connected us through the faster 5GHz band. I noticed a similar pattern when testing the connection speeds myself -- though it never affected them enough to make a significant performance difference with any of my usual internet-dependent activities.

Another cool feature the Ring Alarm Pro brings to the table is backup Wi-Fi. The idea is if there's an interruption to your power or your internet connection, Ring provides an internet connection to your Wi-Fi-enabled devices using cellular data. The monthly data limit for backup Wi-Fi is 3GB, so you won't be able to use it constantly -- though Ring does offer extra data at a rate of $3 per gigabyte.

In my testing, the backup Wi-Fi worked quickly, with almost no latency. When I unplugged the Alarm Pro's broadband and power cables to simulate an outage, backup Wi-Fi was up and running in under a minute, and speeds were solid, if a little slower. In the farthest back room in my basement, for instance, the download and upload speeds were 20.7 and 8.03 megabits per second respectively, versus their typical 35 and 8.5Mbps in that same room. Translation: Even in the remotest part of the house, using cellular data, a brief outage probably won't interrupt your work.

Yet another interesting addition to Ring's new home security system is integration with Alexa Guard Plus, which monitors your home while you're away for unusual sounds (like glass breaking, human footsteps and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms sounding). Alexa Guard Plus can also use deterrence measures, like playing the sound of a dog barking if connected devices detect motion outside.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly given Ring's recent history with police partnerships, its Neighbors app and troubling privacy policies, the Alarm Pro offers local processing and video storage. This doesn't solve all of Ring's problems: After all, the company still enables the worst tendencies in both its customers and the police in their communities -- encouraging a culture ofposting footage of public spaces on the Neighbors app (oftenleading to toxic comments sections), andsuspicion among neighbors. Now -- with its optional end-to-end video encryption and Edge's new local processing and storage -- it also enables some of the best security and privacy practices possible with any major brand in the home security market, rivaling Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service.

Setting up Edge took a little bit of searching in device settings -- and a small hiccup that required resetting my Ring Stick Up Cam. But all in all, it was simple enough to do, and within a few short minutes, I had a smart camera with local storage and processing, something that was previously impossible with Ring devices.

I still have problems with Ring's company policies, but those policies don't impact the Ring Alarm Pro too much, because the core system doesn't depend on a camera. What's more, if the Ring Alarm Pro is any indication of the direction Ring is moving when it comes to security and privacy, that's worthy of encouragement.

The back of the Alarm Pro has a slot for a microSD card, along with an extra Ethernet port and a power slot that can connect to backup batteries,which it's designed to rest on top of.

A few hundred dollars for the Ring Alarm Pro is a reasonable price, but many of its smartest features also require a higher-end subscription. Here's how the subscriptions break down:

If you're planning to use the Ring Alarm Pro's best features, it really does require that Protect Pro subscription, which isn't cheap. That said, $200 per year, while definitely pricier than the most affordable DIY systems' services (Wyze is only $50 per year), isn't outrageous at all. SimpliSafe's professional monitoring costs $15 per month, and to use its smart home integrations puts that fee up to $25 per month. Abode's professional monitoring starts at $20 per month.

In short, Ring offers a lot more than the competition for a price that's in the same range.

Nearly five years ago, I wrote a column calling for smart home hubs -- then popular devices in the smart home market -- to be killed, so they could be reincarnated as something more: namely a device that folds together multiple vital components of a modern household. And what's more vital than the internet?

The Ring Alarm Pro, by marrying internet, home security and the smart home (particularly through Alexa and its Guard Plus feature) offers one of the most compelling visions for the future of smart home integration I've seen yet.

It's not a perfect system. Some of the best features aren't super clearly explained, meaning I had to dig through settings to get them working correctly. Likewise, full setup required three different apps: the Ring app, the Eero app and the Alexa app. You'd think, since all three are owned by Amazon, a more unified experience might be possible.

That said, the setup across the three apps was one of the most painless examples of multiapp installations I've seen. What's more, once the system is set up, you'll rarely need to use the Alexa or Eero apps -- and when you do, they're simple enough to navigate.

In the grand scheme of the smart home, these criticisms are little more than quibbles. Ring has delivered a fantastic home security system with genuinely useful features to help with everything from internet and power outages to break-ins and intruder deterrence. You can even store and process video footage locally -- a first for Ring.

Forget the privacy-degrading Ring drone camera and Amazon security robot Astro: the future of home security is the Ring Alarm Pro, and it's here now.

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Ring Alarm Pro review: A giant leap for home security - CNET

Having a home security system may seem like an unnecessary expense and hassle. Installing a system, arming and disarming it, paying for a response company, and dealing with false alarms might come across as an inconvenience. Unfortunately, many people do not see the advantages of having a home security system until they have a negative experience, such as a break-in or home invasion.

However, having a home security system offers multiple benefits. Here are some examples of why you should not hesitate to get one today:

Protecting valuables

San Antonio home security companies like Alamo Smart Home understand that is the primary reason that many people install alarm and CCTV systems. Anyone who has lost possessions from their home in a crime knows the agony of accepting that many cannot be replaced due to sentimental value. They also understand the challenges of dealing with an insurance company after such a stressful experience in a quest to return everything to some semblance of normalcy.

When it comes to protecting your possessions and valuables, prevention is better than cure. Alarm systems act as excellent deterrents and alert local authorities when criminals attempt a break-in. Being proactive and not waiting until after such an experience to install an alarm system reduces your risk of having this experience.

Reduces crime statistics

As mentioned before, an alarm system will ensure that criminals abandon an attempt to enter your home. The ear-piercing sounds the siren emits will send them skedaddling, not wanting to wait for the security company and law enforcement officials to arrive.

However, this is not the only advantage of having an alarm system. Criminals will avoid attempting a break-in if they know you have home security. When most people in your neighborhood have it, would-be burglars will soon move to greener pastures, leading to decreased crime statistics. Home CCTV systems also discourage petty crimes like vandalism.

Insurance benefits

Installing home security devices could lead to a reduction in your homeowners insurance premiums. Most insurers factor security measures in the home into their premium calculations.

Granted, this amount will be consumed by paying fees to the response company. However, it is worthwhile because of the other benefits having a home security system offers. Indeed, some insurers provide their clients with a discounted premium of up to 20% for installing security systems. Speak to your broker and get some quotations from other insurers to see how much you can save.

Child protection

As our children get older, they inevitably spend some time at home alone. This is a source of massive concern to many parents, who want to ensure that their children remain safe and wish to know what their kids get up to when they are not around.

Remote monitoring of CCTV cameras and video doorbells allows parents to see what is happening in their homes even when they are not there. They can also determine if their alarm has been deactivated or do so remotely for their children. Smart door locks even let parents unlock the doors for their children, so they do not need to carry house keys.

Peace of mind

Spending time worrying that something could go wrong at home while you are home or away expends a lot of energy. It also distracts you, meaning that you cannot focus on other tasks or issues that require your attention. The anxiety it induces is exhausting.

You do not need to experience this if you install a home security system. You can rest in the knowledge that help is a moment away. Expect to get a great nights sleep without waking each time you hear the tiniest noise.

See the article here:
The Top Reasons You Should Not Ignore Installing a Home Security System - Southeast Missourian